Cigarette cutoff and filter tip attachment registration apparatus

ABSTRACT

Cigarette paper with printed registration marks is utilized in the formation of a cigarette rod on a making machine. The cigarette rod is cut at prescribed intervals along the registration mark. In view of variations in repeat lengths of paper between registration marks, the cut of the rod is automatically adjusted to register with the mark by a control which operates to sense the location of the mark in relation to the cutting knife. In the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes employing the cut rods having registration marks thereon, a filter tip attachment machine is located at the discharge end of the cigarette making machine. The operation of the attachment machine is in timed relationship with the cutting of the rod, whereby any adjustment in the latter is reflected by a corresponding adjustment in the drive of the attachment machine. This synchronization insures against jamming of the cut rod entering the filter tip attachment machine.

tinited States Patent [19 1 Finn CIGARETTE CUTOFF AND FILTER TIP ATTACHMENT REGISTRATTON APPARATUS Inventor:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

Everett N. Finn, Louisville, Ky. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Louisville, Ky.

Dec. 20, 1972 rm. Cl A24c 05/28, A24c 05/31 Field of Search 131/21 B, 21 R, 65, 63,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [11] 3,828,796 [451 Aug. 13, 1974 Primary Examiner-Harland S. Skogquist Assistant Examiner-John F. Pitrelli Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Vance A. Smith [5 7] ABSTRACT Cigarette paper with printed registration marks is utilized in the formation of a cigarette rod on a making machine. The cigarette rod is cut at prescribed intervals along the registration mark. in view of variations in repeat lengths of paper between registration marks, the cut of the rod is automatically adjusted to register with the mark by a control which operates to sense the location of the mark in relation to the cutting knife. In the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes employing the cut rods having registration marks thereon, a filter tip attachment machine is located at the discharge end of the cigarette making machine. The operation of the attachment machine is in timed relationship with the cutting of the rod, whereby any adjustment in the latter is reflected by a corresponding adjustment in the drive of the attachment machine. This synchronization insures against jamming of the cut rod entering the filter tip attachment machine.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENIED ms 1 3 I874 SHEEI 1 (If 2 REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application relates to commonly assigned patent applications: Ser. Nos. 59,052, filed July 29, 1970, entitled Cigarette Paper Tube Manufacture; Ser. No. 74,679, filed Sept. 23, 1970, entitled Tube Maker Registration Control now US Pat. No. 3,688,620 granted Sept. 5, 1972; and Ser. No. 316,679, filed on even date and intitled Preprinted Cigarette Paper Registration Control."

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various cigarette papers are provided with registration marks printed thereon by the paper supplier as disclosed in commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 59,052 filed July 27, 1970. In some cases, the registration marks identify the beginning and end of a preprinted somewhat invisible pattern. In substantially all cases of cigarette papers of this type, the registrationmark repeat length varies throughout the length of paper ordinarily wound and supplied ona bobbin. Where filter tip cigarettes are being formed, the knife cut of the cigarette rod should be in registry with the mark.

A filter tip attachment machine is ordinarily located; at the discharge end of a cigarette making machine when manufacturing filter tip cigarettes. In the event the formed cigarette rod is cut at the registration marks but possesses varying lengths between such marks, the cut lengths of cigarette rod will not enter the filter tip attachment machine in predictable timed relationship with the operation of the filter tip attachment machine. Accordingly, registration must be maintained between the cut-off knife of the cigarette makingmachine and the filter tip attachment machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for registration of the cutting of cigarette paper with the location of registration marks printed thereon.

Another object is to provide synchronization of the operation of a filter tip attachment machine with the cutting of the cigarette paper and consequently the introduction of the cut lengths of cigarette rods that are introduced into the filter tip attachment machine.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a cigarette rod making machine for manufacturing cigarettes having paper with registration marks and a filter tip attachment machine for receiving cut lengths of the rod for assembly with filter plugs for filter tip cigarettes with a registration control being provided to register the cut with the registration mark and assure the synchronization of the filter tip attachment machine with the cutting of the rod;

FIG. 2 is a topplan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the formed cigarette rod showing the registration marks at spaced intervals; and

FIG. 4 is a diagramatic perspective view of the registration control of the present invention shown associated with the cutting knife of the cigarette making machine and the drive of the filter tip attachment machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A somewhat conventional continuous rod cigarette making machine 10 receives cut tobacco from the tobacco feed feed 12 which showers cut tobacco continuously onto a traveling tape 14. This tape delivers the cut tobacco to the traveling paper web 16 fed from the roll 18. The paper web 16 is suitably guided through the rod folder tongue 20, the rod paster 22 which applies a strip of paste to the lap edge of the cigarette rod paper, the rod former 24 and the rod sealer 26, by a continuously moving folding belt 28 driven by the drum 30.

When the cigarette rod 32 emerges from the rod former 24 it passes through the cigarette cut-off mechanism 34, wherein a knife 36 severs the rod into individual cigarette lengths 38. These cigarette lengths 38 are fed to and picked up by a filter tip attachment machine 40 of conventional construction.

The filter tip attachment machine 40 is driven in synchronization with the cutoff 34 in a manner to be described in detail shortly so that the individual cigarette lengths 38 will be properly received without jamming in the flutes 42 of the fluted drum 44. The filter tip att'achment machine 40 then operates to associate the cigarette length 38 with the selected mouthpiece and thereafter forms the finished filter cigarette.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cigarette paper includes registration marks 45. In a proposed commercial application of the invention, these marks were approximately 2' millimeters wide and identified the beginning and end of an invisible printed pattern on the paper 16. In the formation of millimeter filter cigarettes, the registration mark repeat length was 136 millimeters. Unfortunately, the registration mark repeat length varies throughout the length of paper which is believed to be caused by the non-uniform stretching of the paper during winding and unwinding operations of the paper supplier. An optical sensor 46 which may be in the form of a photocell assembly operates to detect the leading edge of the mark 45 for purposes of generating a signal which is adapted to be compared with a signal indicating the location of the knife 36 in assuring the proper registration of the cut made thereby with the location of the mark.

The knife 36 is fixed to and rotates with shaft 47 extending from gear box 48 to an automatically adjustable speed for registry control. Inasmuch as the rod 32 is traveling at relatively high speeds, knife 36 is mounted on a universal 50 which permits the knife 36 to be placed at a slight angle to cooperate with and clear surfaces of longitudinally reciprocating ledger 52 as the cut is made. The ledger includes a substantially u shaped channel which receives and supports the rod during the cutting cycle. A pair of aligned slots in the side walls of the channel accommodate the cutting edge of the knife 36 as it moves. As explained in the above referenced application Ser. No. 59,052, the ledger traverses a longitudinally reciprocal movement along the path of travel of the rod as the intended cut is made at approximately the same speed as the rod is traveling.

Any one of several means may be employed to sense the position of the knife 36. In the illustrated embodiment, a shaft encoder 54 is employed and electromechanically transforms analogue mechanical rotation into electrical pulses which are related to the knife cut. These signals are transmitted to the control 56 which compares the knife cut to the registration marks sensed by the sensor 46. A determination is made whether the registration mark led or lagged the knife cut. As will become evident shortly, the knife speed is increased if the registration mark led the cut and it is decreased if the registration mark lagged. When the determination is made, the control 56 sends a signal to adjust knife speed accordingly. Towards this end, the signal actuates pulsating or stepping motor 58 which through phase shifting differential 60 and gear box 48 changes the speed to knife 36. In this connection, the phase shifting differential 60 allows the position of the knife 36 to be shifted in relation to the main drive 62 with an input from the motor 58. As explained in the above referenced pending patent application, the phase shifting differential 60 has two inputs one from the main drive 62 and one from the motor 58. Of course, the main drive 62 is constant; therefore, the operation of the motor 58 determines the correct knife speed for registration. When the knife is running too fast, the control 56 senses the knife cut ahead of the registration mark 45, the motor 58 is switched to a higher speed until the registration mark is sensed in proper relation to the knife cut. When the knife is running too slow, the reverse takes place.

A visual display 68 is provided as an alternative to an oscilloscope to facilitate manually adjusting the register between the knife cut and the registration mark by the machine operator. The visual display may be in the form of a neon lamp mounted on a rotated disc driven off the gear box 48 at a one-to-one ratio and synchronized with the rotation of the knife 36. The neon lamp is caused to flash by signals from the knife and from the registration mark sensor, as disclosed in detail in the above referenced patent application Ser. No. 316,679, filed on even date herewith and entitled Preprinted Cigarette Paper Registration Control."

The speed of operation of the filter tip attachment machine 40 is adjusted with any and all changes in speed of the knife 36. This is accomplished by connecting the drive of the filter tip attachment machine with the output of the differential 60. This is accomplished through the gear network 64 with gear 66 being free spinning by means of a suitably mounted bearing on shaft 62. In this manner, the cigarette lengths 38 will be assured registry with the flutes 42 of the fluted drum 44 of the filter tip attachment machine.

Thus, the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although a single somewhat preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby, and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a cigarette making machine for forming a cigarette rod and cutting it into cigarette lengths and a filter tip attachment machine for coupling a filter plug to one end of the cigarette length, wherein the cigarette making machine includes a source of cigarette paper having registration marks at spaced intervals,

cigarette rod forming means for forming the cigarette paper about tobacco into a cigarette rod,

knife means for cutting the rod along the registration marks into cigarette lengths, and wherein the filter tip attachment machine includes inlet conveying means for receiving the cigarette lengths and conveying them transversely of the path of travel of the cigarette rod, and

attachment means for coupling a cigarette plug to the cigarette length,

sensor means for detecting the presence of the registration marks, and

control means responsive to said sensor means detecting the presence of the registration marks for changing the speed of the knife means so as to continually cause the knife means to cut at predetermined intervals along the cigarette rod and for changing the speed of the inlet conveying means of the filter tip attachment machine in timed relation with the change in speed of the knife means.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the knife means cuts the registration mark transversely approximately along its center, and the control means assures cutting of the registration mark along its center.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said sensor means includes an optical sensor which senses the leading end of the registration mark, sensing means for sensing the position of the knife means, and knife speed adjusting means coupled with both the optical sensor and sensing means for determining whether the cut of the cigarette rod by the knife means occurred before the registration mark is sensed by the optical sensor or whether the registration mark occurred before the cut for adjusting the speed of the knife means to maintain the cut in proper register with said registration mark and means coupled with the knife speed adjusting means for adjusting the speed of operation of the inlet conveying means of the filter tip attachment machine in timed relation to the knife means operation and any adjustment thereof.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the knife speed adjusting means includes a pulsating motor and a phase shift differential coupled thereto.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the sensing means comprises a shaft encoder which transforms analogue mechanical rotation of the knife means into electrical pulses.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein a visual display means is coupled with the knife means and with the optical sensor for providing a visual display of the relative position between the knife cut and registration mark.

TE sums ATENT OFFICE EMWN QETHWCA'HE HF Patent No. 823, 796 Dated 8 w 1974 Invent r(a) Everett N, Finn I M It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown. below:

CO1, '2 line 39, change "136" to "126".

Signed and sealed this 29th day of October 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JRu v C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 608764=69 u.s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 195s o-zee-su,

F ORM PO-1050 (10-69) 

1. The combination of a cigarette making machine for forming a cigarette rod and cutting it into cigarette lengths and a filter tip attachment machine for coupling a filter plug to one end of the cigarette length, wherein the cigarette making machine includes a source of cigarette paper having registration marks at spaced intervals, cigarette rod forming means for forming the cigarette paper about tobacco into a cigarette rod, knife means for cutting the rod along the registration marks into cigarette lengths, and wherein the filter tip attachment machine includes inlet conveying means for receiving the cigarette lengtHs and conveying them transversely of the path of travel of the cigarette rod, and attachment means for coupling a cigarette plug to the cigarette length, sensor means for detecting the presence of the registration marks, and control means responsive to said sensor means detecting the presence of the registration marks for changing the speed of the knife means so as to continually cause the knife means to cut at predetermined intervals along the cigarette rod and for changing the speed of the inlet conveying means of the filter tip attachment machine in timed relation with the change in speed of the knife means.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the knife means cuts the registration mark transversely approximately along its center, and the control means assures cutting of the registration mark along its center.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said sensor means includes an optical sensor which senses the leading end of the registration mark, sensing means for sensing the position of the knife means, and knife speed adjusting means coupled with both the optical sensor and sensing means for determining whether the cut of the cigarette rod by the knife means occurred before the registration mark is sensed by the optical sensor or whether the registration mark occurred before the cut for adjusting the speed of the knife means to maintain the cut in proper register with said registration mark and means coupled with the knife speed adjusting means for adjusting the speed of operation of the inlet conveying means of the filter tip attachment machine in timed relation to the knife means operation and any adjustment thereof.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the knife speed adjusting means includes a pulsating motor and a phase shift differential coupled thereto.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the sensing means comprises a shaft encoder which transforms analogue mechanical rotation of the knife means into electrical pulses.
 6. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein a visual display means is coupled with the knife means and with the optical sensor for providing a visual display of the relative position between the knife cut and registration mark. 